Trump advances two wind projects

The Trump administration is advancing some wind projects after a court order required it to do so.

© Joshua A. Bickel, Associated Press file

A White House official said Thursday that an initial set of wind projects under Pentagon review have been released. The official said this represents two projects located in Maine and South Dakota.

The official said the Defense Department will keep evaluating wind projects on a case-by-case basis.

The official also described the move as clearing the path for a bipartisan energy bill in the Senate. That legislation — which is expected to cut down on barriers, including environmental laws for energy projects — is the result of a tenuous deal between Democrats and Republicans, and comes after significant ire from the left over the Trump administration’s moves to hold up renewable energy projects.

The advancement of the two projects comes after the administration earlier this year froze approvals for onshore wind projects, citing potential interference with doppler radars. A lawsuit earlier this year said at least 125 utility-scale projects in 25 states were impacted.

In August, a federal judge halted the Pentagon’s freeze as a case against it plays out. Earlier this week, organizations that sued over the department’s treatment of wind projects asked the court to take additional steps to enforce the order, saying the administration was failing to comply with it.

The move also comes as the Trump administration has taken other steps to hamper wind energy in recent weeks. It recently requested to reconsider previously approved permits for several offshore wind projects.

Welcome to The Hill’s Energy & Environment newsletter, I’m Rachel Frazin — keeping you up to speed on the policies impacting everything from oil and gas to new supply chains.

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How policy will affect the energy and environment sectors now and in the future:

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